diff --git a/Python/import.c b/Python/import.c
index c20c55727d2f94..22e9ba36390e7b 100644
--- a/Python/import.c
+++ b/Python/import.c
@@ -4501,6 +4501,9 @@ _PyImport_LazyImportModuleLevelObject(PyThreadState *tstate,
             assert(!PyErr_Occurred());
             modname = Py_NewRef(Py_None);
         }
+        if (fromlist == NULL) {
+            fromlist = Py_NewRef(Py_None);
+        }
         PyObject *args[] = {modname, name, fromlist};
         PyObject *res = PyObject_Vectorcall(filter, args, 3, NULL);